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Wedding Dress Credits
and Forward
Chapters: 1 -
2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
- 10
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11
Endings:
Alternate 1
Alternate 2
Alternate 3
To
vote for your favorite alternate ending, simply send
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Jennifer@jenniferhallmark.com
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your name, email address, a brief comment and your
choice of ending 1, 2, or 3.
The Wedding Dress -
Alternate
Ending #3
The pain resonated up Homer’s arm and spread
across his chest like a tourniquet, making it
difficult to breathe.
Sit down and breathe, he said to
himself.
Turning over the large bucket in his hand, he
was oblivious to the spare mower parts that spilled
over the shed floor. Sitting hard on the bucket, he
simultaneously massaged his throbbing left arm while
concentrating on breathing. The pain eased and his
breathing became less labored.
Rising slowly, Homer made his way to the house
hoping Martha wouldn’t notice his struggle to
maintain his composure. He was sure she suspected a
medical problem but she didn’t say anything. They
had an understanding when it came to illness of any
kind. When one was sick enough, that person would
call the doctor. He didn’t nag her nor she him.
The arrangement worked well. Until now…
Two years had passed since Betty married Matt.
The young couple was doing well, their double wide
trailer set up on the spot of land Homer and Martha
had given them. The money from the Channel Seven
News report paid for the wedding and more than half
of the trailer. Betty was working at the elementary
school and Matt at the machine shop in town. He was
now the assistant foreman!
Homer thought back to the times when he prayed
to God to let him live long enough to see Betty
taken care of. God kept up his end of the bargain
and Betty was happy and provided for. That was all
he wanted, it was what helped him to go on when
times were hard.
Now Homer was tired. Tired of battling the
ever increasing bouts of pain and labored breathing.
It is time to go on, he thought to
himself. The kids will take care of Martha. It
will be easier on all of them if I just go to my
rest.
The word death was too hard to say or think.
He would miss Martha, Betty and Matt but it was for
the best. Not that he would take his own life! Oh
no, nothing like that. A few more attacks like the
one he had today and he assumed the big one would
come. One moment he would be here and the next…
“Homer!” Martha called, out the front door.
“Come here! Hurry!”
Hurry was not something he could do at the
moment but walking up the ramp, he was soon in the
house. His recliner creaked as he plopped heavily
into it.
“What is it Martha?” he said, as he mopped his
brow with a handkerchief.
She came out of the kitchen, took one look at
his drawn face and went to the refrigerator.
Pouring a glass of iced tea, she handed it to him
along with three aspirins. Martha made no comment.
They had an understanding that was beyond words.
“Matt and Betty are on their way over,” she
announced. “They are going to stay for supper.”
“Isn’t it early for Matt to be off of work?”
“That’s what I thought but when I asked her,
she just said Matt was leaving work at lunch today.”
“Hope nothing’s wrong,” Homer added moodily.
A short time later, Matt and Betty arrived.
They were all smiles so Homer felt more at ease.
“Ya’ll sit,” Betty said, excitedly. “Matt,
tell them!”
Their combined excitement puzzled Homer. Did
Matt get a raise at work? Or a promotion?
“We are going to have a baby! We just left the
doctor and she confirmed it.”
“A baby!” Martha said, tears forming in her
eyes. “Our Betty is going to have a baby? I can’t
believe it!”
Homer sat, stunned into silence. He looked up
toward the ceiling and if anyone had been looking at
him, they might have noticed his lips moving.
Lord, I might
need a few more days. Forget everything I said
earlier.
“I was afraid we would never live to
see great grandchildren,” Martha said excitedly.
“Just think! A baby around the house! What do you
think Homer?”
Homer didn’t hear her for he had reached for
the phone book and was thumbing through the pages
for the name of that doctor of his…
